794:. The largest gradient of a line mandates a larger, more expensive loco or a de-rating of carrying capacity, both of which would result in a less economical service for the line as a whole. The Oakey-Cooyar branch line was repeatedly surveyed to arrive at its built route, which had a negligible gradient over its length, but which required the 300m tunnel. The low gradient required a devious route, particularly at Narko and adjacent to the tunnel.
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The Oakey-Cooyer branch line is also of early surveying significance. Rail engineering practice of the period avoided the construction of tunnels, so significant surveying was undertaken to avoid tunnelling and to minimise rail
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With negligible track remaining the Oakey-Cooyar branch line could all but be overlooked as a fading scar on the landscape, it retains its significance however through the still intact
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662:
passed legislation to build a railway line from Oakey to Cooyar, a distance of 38 miles 50 chains (62.2 km). The intention was to subsequently extend the line to
751:
Coal was transported between Acland and Oakey, this portion of the branch line remained in service until 1969. A similar parallel branch line existed connected
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Mixed trains initially ran four times a week and were replaced in 1929 by a daily rail motor service to
Toowoomba. The line connected the small towns of
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642:. A plan to connect Kingaroy to the south via Cooyar did not eventuate and left Cooyar at the terminus of a branch line running from
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until 1964. This provided passenger and farm produce services not only to these towns but also to the surrounding townships of
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786:. This tunnel was constructed with manual labour. It is now home to a colony of bats.
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rail patronage declined resulting in both services becoming uneconomical to maintain.
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983:. Vol. LIV, no. 10, 046. Queensland, Australia. 29 April 1912. p. 4.
951:. Vol. LIV, no. 10, 047. Queensland, Australia. 30 April 1912. p. 8.
760:
1015:. Vol. LV, no. 256. Queensland, Australia. 29 October 1912. p. 1.
1608:
619:
124:
1047:. Vol. LV, no. 407. Queensland, Australia. 26 April 1913. p. 1.
919:. Vol. LV, no. 409. Queensland, Australia. 29 April 1913. p. 5.
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on 4 November 1912. The line opened from
Peranga to Cooyar on 29 April 1913.
270:
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on 1 May 1964, with the last segment closed on 8 December 1969.
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in
Queensland to pass under the summit of Eastern Australia's
778:
engineering achievement, the
Muntapa Tunnel remains the only
900:
Kerr, J. 'Triumph of Narrow Gauge' Boolarong Press 1990
681:(then known as Rosalie) on 29 April 1912. It opened to
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759:from 1910 to 1964. As the competing service of
1076:Australian Railway Historical Society Bulletin
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8:
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1059:– via National Library of Australia.
1027:– via National Library of Australia.
995:– via National Library of Australia.
963:– via National Library of Australia.
931:– via National Library of Australia.
163:
1241:List of approved, never constructed lines
1136:1925 map of the Queensland railway system
1337:List of Queensland branch line locations
1276:List of Queensland branch line locations
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20:
1051:from the original on 31 December 2023
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987:from the original on 31 December 2023
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882:from the original on 31 December 2023
822:from the original on 17 December 2020
688:The line was partially closed beyond
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189:
16:Railway line in Queensland, Australia
7:
1088:"Muntapa Tunnel – Trail Description"
1722:1969 disestablishments in Australia
1697:Closed railway lines in Queensland
812:"Parish of King County of Aubigny"
14:
666:, which was connected by rail to
282:Wilthorn railway station (former)
1717:1913 establishments in Australia
1667:Queensland Pioneer Steam Railway
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1103:"Muntapa Tunnel (entry 602594)"
660:Queensland Legislative Assembly
1594:Proposed or under construction
1131:Tunnel location on Google Maps
173:
1:
1637:Tourist and heritage railways
1111:. Queensland Heritage Council
1707:Railway lines closed in 1969
1702:Railway lines opened in 1913
1108:Queensland Heritage Register
180:
1477:Mackay Railway and branches
1432:Great Western line proposal
1179:Railway lines in Queensland
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1614:Maroochydore railway line
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99:8 December 1969
975:"LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS"
658:On 2 November 1909, the
130:3 ft 6 in
755:to the Western Line at
677:The line was opened to
147:Cooyar Branch route map
119:63 km (39 mi)
84:28 April 1913
1657:Kuranda Scenic Railway
1078:, July, 1996 pp195-205
1071:The Cooyar Branch Line
943:"OAKEY-COOYAR RAILWAY"
219:To Charleville (right)
1044:Darling Downs Gazette
1012:Darling Downs Gazette
980:Darling Downs Gazette
948:Darling Downs Gazette
916:Darling Downs Gazette
876:Queensland Government
816:Queensland Government
1492:Maryborough to Monto
1487:Mareeba to Chillagoe
1259:Country branch lines
1226:Central Western Line
784:Great Dividing Range
670:and beyond into the
640:South Burnett Region
634:is about halfway to
271:27.3930°S 151.7199°E
1662:Mary Valley Rattler
1619:Surat Basin railway
1357:Blackall and Yaraka
846:State of Queensland
776:Queensland Railways
774:. A feat of early
616:Cooyar railway line
266: /
214:To Toowoomba (left)
24:Cooyar railway line
1422:Gladstone to Monto
1407:Dajarra and Selwyn
1216:South Western Line
842:"Queensland Globe"
276:-27.3930; 151.7199
54:Cooyar, Queensland
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49:Oakey, Queensland
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1125:External links
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1039:"Advertising"
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911:"COOYAR LINE"
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1572:Wooloongabba
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1206:Western Line
1115:14 September
1113:. Retrieved
1106:
1093:14 September
1091:. Retrieved
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1053:. Retrieved
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1021:. Retrieved
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989:. Retrieved
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925:. Retrieved
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896:
884:. Retrieved
849:. Retrieved
836:
824:. Retrieved
806:
788:
769:
763:gave way to
750:
699:
687:
676:
657:
615:
613:
18:
1609:Inland Rail
1537:South Coast
1269:Operational
1231:Mt Isa Line
1074:Milne, Rod
1055:31 December
1023:31 December
991:31 December
959:31 December
927:31 December
886:31 December
851:16 December
826:17 December
757:Kingsthorpe
620:branch line
274: /
261:151°43′12″E
125:Track gauge
116:Line length
68:Operator(s)
1691:Categories
1652:Gulflander
1557:Wallaville
1502:Mt Edwards
1402:Crows Nest
1347:Beaudesert
1316:Millmerran
1311:Glenmorgan
1286:Blackwater
1281:Moura Line
1191:Main lines
798:References
628:Queensland
626:region of
280: (
258:27°23′35″S
251:Wilthorn (
103:1969-12-08
88:1913-04-28
37:Dismantled
1522:Pemberton
1472:Killarney
1437:Greenvale
1427:Goomburra
1301:Goonyella
1296:Etheridge
1201:Main Line
792:gradients
746:Evergreen
648:Toowoomba
111:Technical
1512:Mulgowie
1507:Mt Perry
1497:Maryvale
1457:Jandowae
1417:Dugandan
1382:Canungra
1049:Archived
1017:Archived
985:Archived
953:Archived
921:Archived
880:Archived
878:. 1943.
820:Archived
818:. 1942.
742:Maclagan
738:Quinalow
718:Nutgrove
696:Services
668:Kingaroy
646:west of
636:Kingaroy
521:Nutgrove
29:Overview
1562:Windera
1552:Urangan
1527:Proston
1517:Nanango
1482:Marburg
1462:Kajabbi
1377:Bulimba
1372:Buderim
1321:Wandoan
874:(Map).
814:(Map).
728:to the
710:Peranga
683:Peranga
654:History
638:in the
622:in the
455:Peranga
101: (
86: (
76:History
63:Service
42:Termini
1567:Winton
1542:Tarong
1467:Kilcoy
1447:Injune
1397:Cooyar
1362:Boonah
1342:Amiens
1330:Closed
780:tunnel
726:Cooyar
702:Acland
690:Acland
674:area.
664:Tarong
632:Cooyar
618:was a
587:Cooyar
356:Acland
323:Sabine
156:Legend
96:Closed
81:Opened
34:Status
1547:Texas
1442:Haden
753:Haden
734:Oakey
722:Wutul
714:Narko
706:Kulpi
679:Kulpi
644:Oakey
554:Wutul
488:Narko
422:Kulpi
389:Muldu
211:Oakey
1452:Isis
1352:Bell
1117:2008
1095:2008
1057:2023
1025:2023
993:2023
961:2023
929:2023
888:2023
853:2020
828:2020
744:and
724:and
614:The
206:0km
1693::
1105:.
1041:.
1009:.
977:.
945:.
913:.
861:^
844:.
748:.
740:,
720:,
716:,
712:,
708:,
704:,
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1150:v
1119:.
1097:.
890:.
855:.
830:.
284:)
136:)
132:(
105:)
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